Intergenerational Relations in Taiwan: A Preliminary Analysis on the Lineage Differential

Abstract

Over the past few decades, Taiwan has experienced rapid demographic transition, economic development, and social change that take other industrialized countries a century or more to experience. The decline in mortality and the increase in the life expectancy at birth have produced a rapidly rising aging population in Taiwan. The percentage of people 65 or older grew from 6.1 in 1990 to 8.6 in 2000, and elderly dependency ratio increased from 9.1 to 12.2 (Accounting and Statistics 2000). It is estimated that by 2050 more than 20% of the total population will be over 65, and the elderly dependency ratio will be 40% (Wang 2003). On the other hand, fertility is dropping. Children under age 5 decreased nearly 27% from 1980 to 2000 (Accounting and Statistics 2000). The population age structure of Taiwan, like that of most industrialized societies, has changed from a pyramid into a “beanpole” structure which consists of more generations but fewer members in each generation (Bengtson 2001). This beanpole structure suggests that not only family members across generations will share their lives together over a longer period of time, but intergenerational interactions in Taiwan will be more frequent and complicated.